Yoga is a very ancient practice that has been passed down for thousands of years. Its origins has been traced back to the Indus-Saraswati civilisation in the Indus Valley, which is believed to have existed around 5,000 years ago. The exact origins of yoga are not known to us, as the practice was passed down through oral traditions long before it was put in written. Though, it is believed that the main purpose of practice of yoga was to help practitioners attain spiritual liberation, enlightenment or samadhi.
Yoga, as an ancient practice, is very deeply rooted in mythology, with various stories and legends surrounding its creation and development. Yoga mythology is such a rich source of inspiration and understanding, providing the yogis and yoginis with a framework for understanding the human experience and how it is connected to the mind, breath and everything around the human body as well as to nature.
One of the most well-known figures in yoga mythology is Lord Shiva, who is said to be the first yogi or the Adi yogi. According to the myth, lord Shiva is said to have revealed the secrets of yoga to Sapta Rishis or the seven Rishis, who then went to different parts of the world to spread this knowledge of yogic science and practice.
In India the yogic system found its true meaning and fullest expression. It was one of the Saptarishi, the great Rishi Agastya who travelled across the Indian subcontinent and crafted the culture around a core yogic way of life.
In ancient times, yoga was practiced under guidance of gurus and it was more or less a part of the daily ritual at gurukuls. As I mentioned before, knowledge of these rituals were passed on orally and the written scripture came much later when sage maharishi Patanjali organised and charted the then existing oral knowledge into ‘Yoga Sutras’. Patanjali’s Yoga sutra is a collection of Sanskrit sutras on the theory and practice of yoga. According to the legend, Patanjali was an incarnation of the serpent god Ananta, who was given the task with preserving the ancient knowledge of yoga for future generations. He is believed to have taught the practice to his disciples and which in turn helped it getting passed down through generations. Many more great sages and rishis after Patanjali also helped a lot in contributing, promoting and preserving the ancient yogic science and the yogic way of life.
Another important figure in yoga mythology is Lord Krishna, an incarnation of the lord Vishnu. Krishna is often depicted in poses that are now commonly practiced in modern yoga. His teachings in the Bhagavad Gita, emphasised upon the importance of devotion, action, and detachment leading up to greater spiritual growth.
Another mythological figure, lord Hanuman, is also popular in yoga mythology. Hanuman is revered for his devotion to Lord Rama, and his image is often associated with the practice of devotion and surrender in yoga.
The goddess Kali is another important figure in yoga mythology. Kali's fierceness and powerful energy as well is associated with the transformational aspects of yoga, encouraging practitioners to embrace change and let go of what no longer serves us.
In addition to these figures, many animals are also featured in yoga mythology. The snake, or cobra, is often associated with the kundalini energy that is said to reside at the base of the spine and can be awakened through yogic practice. The elephant is associated with the Hindu god Ganesha, who is revered as the remover of obstacles.
Many more yoga poses or asanas are inspired by mythological figures and concepts from ancient mythology. Some examples are Virabhadra asana or the warrior pose, said to be created by lord Shiva. Matsya asana or the fish pose is named after the fish avatar of lord Vishnu. Hanumana asana is named after lord Hanuman. And there are many such poses, each having an interesting mythological story linked to them. If you are interested in reading about the yoga mythology, the book ‘Yoga Mythology: 64 Asanas and their stories’ by Devdutt Pattanaik and Matthew Rulli is an interesting read.
While yoga mythology can give a lot of inspiration and insight to practitioners, it is best to see it with a judicious eye. We should not take these myths literally, but as metaphors for deeper and more spiritual truth. Yoga is more of the spiritual growth and not a practice linked to a religion.
Say what you may, I truly feel that yoga mythology is a rich and fascinating subject that does provide the people sincerely devoted to yoga, with a deeper understanding of the practice and its roots in our Indian culture. Just reading and learning about the figures and stories that are woven into our culture as well as yoga's history, we can gain an immense appreciation for the depth and complexity of the practice, and also draw so much inspiration it has to offer us.
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